Faro de La Curra

Faro de La Curra is a green-topped lighthouse standing at the end of a breakwater on the western side of San Julián hill in Cartagena, in Spain's Murcia region. Built as a whitewashed cylindrical tower with a green upper section, it rises 14 metres high with a diameter of 2.20 metres. It forms a pair with the Faro de Navidad lighthouse across the bay, together marking the entrance to Cartagena's naval harbour.

Why was this lighthouse built?

Construction of the La Curra and Navidad lighthouses was authorised in 1881 to give the harbour entrance permanent, reliable markers. The main danger they addressed was a submerged rock shelf of roughly 10,000 cubic metres lying just off the coast — a hazard responsible for numerous ship collisions before the lighthouses were built. A breakwater was extended into the sea to help contain the risk, and the lighthouse was placed at its tip, in an area still known today as Lugar de la Curra.

How does the light work, and why is it green?

Faro de La Curra is classified as a sixth-order lighthouse, the smallest category of maritime light, with a range of about 5 nautical miles. In 1917 the definitive light characteristics for the Levante coast were fixed, and La Curra was assigned a flashing green light with a range of 7 miles. That green — visible both in the light itself and in the tower's paintwork — earned it the popular nickname "faro verde" (the green lighthouse), contrasting with the red light of Faro de Navidad on the opposite side of the harbour channel. Together, the red-and-green pair forms the classic port-entrance signal that sailors read from well out at sea.

What's inside the tower?

The interior follows the simple, functional layout typical of 19th-century lighthouses of its size: a water cistern at the base, a spiral iron staircase leading up to a service chamber, and a hand ladder connecting that chamber to the light itself. The structure, built from masonry bonded with hydraulic mortar, remains essentially as it was when completed, making it a well-preserved example of late 19th-century lighthouse engineering.

Can visitors walk out to it?

Yes. The breakwater leading to the lighthouse is one of the most popular spots in Cartagena for running, cycling, or simply walking with views over the harbour and bay. It doubles as an open-air art gallery: across roughly 2,000 square metres of the breakwater's surface, more than a hundred street artists have painted murals inspired by the city's history, turning a working harbour structure into a colourful public canvas.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Faro de La Curra located? At the tip of a breakwater on the western side of San Julián hill, marking the harbour entrance in Cartagena, in the Murcia region of southeastern Spain.

When was the lighthouse built? Its construction was authorised in 1881, and its definitive light characteristics were set in 1917.

Why is it called the "green lighthouse"? Because of the green colour of its upper section and the green flashing light it emits, which pairs with the red light of the neighbouring Faro de Navidad to mark the port entrance.

How tall is the lighthouse? The tower stands 14 metres high with a 2.20-metre diameter, and its light is visible from roughly 5 to 7 nautical miles offshore.

Is it worth visiting as a tourist? Yes — the breakwater leading to the lighthouse is a popular walking and cycling route with harbour views, and its surface is covered in street art murals, making it both a scenic and an artistic attraction.